Bring on the gloop

  

While Mick Madgett was working his wizardry on the Ryde Andura/XT hoop, I discovered I’d added to much tension to the fixed gear winter trainer’s chain. Since the sun had its hat on, I headed out for a couple of sunny rides on the Holdsworth. Afterall, that’s what it's for. 

The Schwalbe One 365 gives a very quick, supple ride quality, in contrast to the Freedom Thick Slick’s coarser but ultimately durable casing- which stays on the rear for precisely this reason. I like the slightly odd couple pairing, so they stay. The Blub Wax lube is also staying, just to see how well it behaves in drier contexts. Like most waxes, it's self-cleansing, so but anecdotally, there’s less friction. However, in common with its ceramic stablemate, if the bike’s not been ridden for two days, you’ll need to replenish.  

Not so the Wolf Tooth WT-1 All Conditions Lube. Three hundred miles hence, I’m still on the first application and it’s proving extremely clean, even in the wet. The links looked a little parched but touching them confirmed a tangible, filmy layer remains.  This suggests their claims of 400 miles per application is more than salesmanship.  I’m told it’s a synthetic blend made in partnership with SCC Tech. One that binds to the chain, while the detergents cleanse the dirt as you ride.  

Back to the fixed Gear winter trainer, I’m starting to discover some vulnerabilities in the Pirelli Angel DT Urban Tyre Pirelli Angel DT Urban Tyre | cycling-not-racing (sevendaycyclist.com) puncture repelling belt- the third flat (thankfully a slow puncture) at the rear. This struck following six miles of gritty backroad- a flint had worked inside the rear tyre’s shoulder (the puncture repelling strip only covers the centre strip).  

Saddleback sent me these 700x40c WTB Nano. They’ve been around a few years and found a lot of favour among gravel audiences and seem to follow a similar mtb tread in gravel sizing narrative.  

On paper at least, they should be an interesting and very relevant comparator. Of course, with the return of said wheel (which took Mick ten minutes to tame) came the tyre conundrum...Being as I already had the tyre off, it I thought it rude not to slip the WTB in situ. Effortless just using my thumbs.  

Much as the Maxxis, I introduced 50psi, fitted the wheel and then decided I’d switch the misbehaving CX50 in favour of the Suntour SE. The latter fight back a bit (though less than I was expecting) and they’ll need some fine tuning.  

For the uninitiated, these are a late 80s design which employ an internal mechanism that moves when the pads strike the rim, applying more braking force. For these reasons, these should not be run up front (unless massive “stoppies” and being launched over the bars, cartoon style is your thing.)   I’ve had a few tentative outings in monsoon conditions and can confirm they’ve enough power to lock the rear wheel, deployed in anger. 

For the time being, they’re behaving well enough, so I’ll quit while ahead and leave them be. I’d bought another pair, NOS for £10. I wouldn’t pay retro prices for them but couldn’t resist, given their performance. Staying with brakes, I had to tweak the front barrel adjuster and couldn’t find a suitable 8mm open wrench. Ironically, this pressed steel “giveaway” spanner saved the day.  

During this phase, I also switched the saddle. 300 miles hence, the five-year old Pro  Turnix Gel Saddle was proving less supportive to my sit bones than I’d expected. I’ve opted for the Ritchey WCS Cabrillo, which at 260mm long and 146mm. Shorter and a little broader.  

Formative impressions are positive, so I’ll er, sit tight and probably switch for the Ergon SR All Road for comparative purposes.  100 miles hence, I’m warming to both the Maxxis and WTB, which at this point are proving remarkably similar. A little slower across tarmac but compliant, predictable and very swift through mud, dirt and loose stuff. They’re also proving reassuringly good at shifting gloop, thus not becoming slicks at the first hint of a boggy section.  

Gearing Fixed

 

Well after some deliberation and a quick wander round the web, I sourced this 20tooth fixed sprocket and a new Sram PC1 chain. Functional, rather than exotic but crucially; the right size and at the right price! Chances are I’ll save this for the big sprocket and the stockier KMC for day to day stuff.  

Magic links, which enable easy, tool-free chain fitment/removal for cleaning are pretty standard these days. Though their appeal isn’t difficult to grasp, especially for pro mechanics needing to strip and prep a fleet of bikes after each race, even with derailleur set-ups, I consider these a weak spot, so default to the traditional and in my view, more reliable pin.

The PC1 is a nickel-plated single speed, rather than a half-link track-specific model, so in some respects and bikes with a single speed freewheel, I can see the reasoning but it’s still not for me!  

Fixed sprockets by definition tend to get wound on extremely tight. I opt for a lock-ring just in case but for the most part, unless I’ve been doing a lot of transmission braking (i.e. holding off against the cranks to regulate speed, say in slow moving traffic, or to prevent a face plant slippery roads etc).

However, their simplicity means they also tend to get forgotten-doused in wet, gritty stuff for months and potentially, years on end…  

Applying a layer of decent quality grease to the hub threads should be a no-brainer. Even then, wrestling them free can require a surprising amount of effort and the Ilpompino’s left hand EAI Superstar sprocket was no exception. To my surprise, the lock-ring came away quietly, with a deft nudge my Pedros’ Trixie.

However, it took the combined efforts of a carefully directed blast of penetrant spray, Pedro’s vice whips and some primal grunting before the sprocket would budge. Thankfully, grazed knuckles and agricultural language were conspicuously absent.

A carpet of blue Corrosion Block grease was applied to the hub threads and the big, black sprocket spun home. Since I was giving said bike a quick onceover, I took the opportunity of exchanging the titanium bottle cage for the Fidlock system and reinstating a “winged” carbon composite to the Univega’s seat tube boss.

Though pocket tools are a convenient and therefore, tempting default, I’ve been sticking religiously to the Fix-It sticks T-way wrench http://fixitsticks.com/t-way

for generic workshop fettling, primarily to hunt out any limitations in their design. I have one minor “room for improvement” box ticked but generally speaking, I‘ve been impressed by the quality of construction and standards of engineering.

A full review coming soon to Seven Day Cyclist www.Sevendaycyclist.com . This week, we’ve a photo love-story two-tone powder coat makeover piece and long term review of its performance almost two years, four seasons’ service later. https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/two-tone-frame-makeover Steve Dyster has been riding his similarly faithful touring Lorry round the Radnor ring https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/riding-the-radnor-ring.    

Here in the UK, Police forces are starting to roll out “Close Pass initiatives” designed to target poor overtaking of cyclists by drivers. 1.5 metres is the magic number space wise. These initiatives involve incognito officers riding along some of the busiest sections of road.

In the event of sloppy, or downright dangerous pass, they communicate the vehicle details to motorised colleagues further along. These officers can then intercept and dispense advice and guidance on appropriate overtaking.

Many riders, myself included can cite close encounter on a seemingly daily basis. Some are more noteworthy and unnerving than others. Last Thursday, an elderly Lexus passed me along a long, clear stretch of road with inches to spare-close enough that I could tap the door skins with my finger-nails. 

This week, I almost became an ornament on the bonnet of a black Peugeot estate. The driver ignored my right of way and ploughed on regardless. I also noticed a young woman passing me erratically. When I glanced over, she appeared to be angling her smartphone directly at her crotch. Another posed for a selfie at every junction. Hopefully neither is going to become a trend.

Right; I’ll close with some more creative birthday decorations from Dolly Blue Blue.     

 

Polished Performer

A semi-sheared side plate put a temporary stop to last week’s back road blasting on the Holdsworth. Unusually for me, spare links were conspicuous by their absence. Thankfully said weakness was spotted at the end of Tuesdays’ outing, not ten miles from base. A generous helping pruned from the Ilpompino’s inox unit were later found in its wedge pack.



 

Rather like spare tubes and patch kits without a pump or CO2 inflator, links aren’t a fat lot of use without a suitable chain tool. Those found on some multi tools will do an excellent job of splicing and re-joining beefy track types. However, keep this infrequent. to avoid fatigue. Even if the pin doesn’t pop, the spreader slots can eventually crumble.

 

That said; I’ve been stunned to discover some pricey models marketed as “Workshop” used relatively soft aluminium drive pins, which inevitably expired within a month’s moderate use.  
 

A new KMC was sourced at a very favourable price. I’ve pruned a few links for spares but otherwise leaving it complete for a rainy day. I’ve also decided to whip the wheel round and use the 16tooth alloy 3/32 sprocket, delivering a marginally lower gear.  


 

Staying with chains a moment, here’s the mid-term (3 month) review of the Weldtite TF2 extreme wet, which had served my ‘cross inspired fixer’s chain from January onwards https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/weldtite-tf2-extreme-wet-chain-lubr . 

 

Weather is still quite changeable, erring on the wintry and for the meantime; I’m sticking with some middleweight formulas. Here’s a quick guide to lubes and the science behind them https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/blank-ao363
 

Before I’d discovered the fractured side plate, an audible click when under load pointed to the right hand Time ATAC XC4. Not the most obvious pedal choice for a road build, let alone TT bike. 


 

However, I much prefer dual sided models for quick getaways. These are resin bodied, which save a few grams. Plentiful float is good news for knees and there’s plenty of ground clearance too.
 

The only downside for me is their use of brass cleats, which, being a softer metal wear faster and are pricier to replace compared with SPD. Admittedly, price is partly due to a lack of patterns. SPD can be found pretty much anywhere and I’m yet to find some that aren’t universally interchangeable. 


Elsewhere the postman brought me some kit from Brian Davis I’ve been rather impressed by his concepts. First up, we have the fix-it sticks T way wrench http://fixitsticks.com/for-bikes , which is simplest described as the big brother in the range, designed specifically for workshop duties. The fixed T handle is made from high quality nickel plated, heat treated chrome vanadium steel.

Supplied with 7 contemporary bits 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6 and Torx, it’s also fully compatible with any standard ¼ bit, which is a refreshing change. These are held securely within the ends using neodymium magnets and there’s a handy pouch to keep everything in. No excuse for losing anything, unless the cat decides to sweep them from the workbench and to the least accessible point!

 

While my initial rummage through the spares drawer for off cuts of track chain might’ve seemed in vain, the arrival of some titanium polishes and the Univega’s recent post upgrade has stirred an unexpected revival.

The Ilpompino’s otherwise excellent perch has been substituted for this Brooks Colt pattern with titanium rails. A lick of nourishing food to the Australian cowhide and it coordinates beautifully with the equally pleasing Bobbin wrap https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/bobbin-leather-bar-tape.

 

This sits atop the super refined Thudbuster St for now…I’ve given the Ti bottle cage a quick polish, replaced the high volume Lezyne micro floor drive for its high pressure sibling. Right, that’s me done for now. Wonder how that clump of dried earth got lodged in its right hand issi pedal….